Automobile.



PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

E. w. ROBERTS. AUTOMOBILE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOH 5% W 67 4 WITNESSES m W PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

E. W. ROBERTS.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V I WW A v mm 0 1|: M m .||.l:| O I 4 H m K 0 o o m n 0 mm o 5 Q X;

m T N E V N PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

' E. W. ROBERTS.

AUTOMOBILE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.17, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

INVENTOB (5 9)". W 6 /9Z%M PA'IBNTED OCT. 15, 1907.

. E. W. ROBERTS.

AUTOMOBILE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED MAK.17, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVENTOR awm A7 WITNESSES Y ZMAW greatly the liability to derangement, making: it.diffisuch transmissio'n clutch, reversing gearing, i etc., be-

.' bustion engine having a sufficient number of cylinders and provided with suitable valve gear to make it self starting and self-reversing upon the admission of fluid and the accompanying change-speed gearing.usually- UNITED STATES EDMUND w. ROBERTS, .OF CLY E," OHIO No. 868,014. I Specification of Application filed March 17, 1905. Serial 1w. sta es.

To all 'tv'hom it r'ridy cohcei-n':

Be it known that I, EDMUND V. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clydefin the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same; such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to inake and use the same. I I

My invention relates to improvements in automobiles, and particularly to that type thereof which have internal combustion engines fordriving them. It is well known that such engines as employed inthe past in automobiles, driving the vehicles directly or through gearing, are incapable of starting under load, or=-even,. in most instances, of startingat all except by the application of power from outside, and are incapablefof re .versing; and this hasnecessitated the interposition'of a clutch and reversing mechanism between the engine and. the driving wheels of the vehicle'thereby unduly complicating the mechanismlofthe vehicle,- increasing cult or impossible to'start the vehicle without'jerking; making it difficult to run the vehi'cleat low speed through streets crowded withother vehicles, and giv ing rise to disagreeable noise in theoperation of the mechanism. Moreover, the clutch and reversinggear,

employed, require a number of operating devices, such as levers, pedals, etc, for their controLand the multiplicityof these control devices apt to confuse theoperator in an emergency. 4 I a The objects of my invention are to avoid the use of tween-the motor and the driving wheels of the vehicle;

to permit the-engine to hem permanent" driving connection with the driving-wheels, to provide for starting "and reversing such, a permanently-connected motor under load, to provide a reserve of power to enable the vehicle to overcome exceptionable'obstacles, 'to permit easy and gentle st'arting and reversing of the vehicleuhder all conditions, to permit the vehicle to be maneuvered promptly and readily under all conditions encountered in crowded streets, to simplify the control devices 01' such vehicles, and generally to make the vehicle inoresiniple, more'reliable; more positive in operation,- easier to control. and quiet in operation.

I My invention consists in a wheeled vehicle having, driving wheels and having in permanent operative connection with suchdriving wheels an internal comf anromon'rnn.

Letters men. Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

. to such engine fluid under pressure to start and reverse the engine under load; in automatic controlling devices for-the compressor; and other features. hereinafterset forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with will then point out the reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating 4 in accordance with my invention, the vehicle body and the bonnet havingbeen removed. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation and partial vertical section of the vehicle, the side of the bonnet having been removed to show the main driving engine, the compressor and its auxiliary engine, and the control devices. .Figs. 3, 49nd '5 arel detailviews of the main driving engine of the vehicle, Fig. 3 showing a top view of the engine, Fig. 4 sh o wing,a sideviewofthe upper part of the engine, including the-valve gear thereof, and Fig. 5 showing a vertical transverse section through one of the engine cylinders 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation' oi the compressor, its driving engine, storage tank, and controlfdevices, the controlling valve being shown in section. Fig. 7 ispafpartial' side view and' partial central vertical section of the compressor. Fig. '8- shows a central vertical section of the con'ipressor, the section being taken at right angles to Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail 'sectionof the outerend of "one of theicompression cylinders, the section being taken at right angles'to Fig. 8. 'FigJIO' shows acentral vertical section of the automatic controlling or; startingand .ticularly to-Figs; 1' and 2,-numeral 1 designates the frame of'the vehicle, 2 the wheels thereof, 3

.the axlef thereof, 4-the casing of'the compensatinggear with motor vehicles are customarily provided, 5 8. longitudinal propeller'shaft, and 6 the main-driving-engine of the vehicl which engine is arranged longitudinally of the vehicle, in the front part thereof, under a bonnet, as is customary, and as shown .is in direct permanent driving connection with the pro-v peller shaft 5; and so withthe driving axle and wheels oi-the vehicleq' 7"designates the engine flywheel. The particular vehicle shown is of the so-called chainless, type; in which motion is transmitted to the axle through bevel gears located with the casing of the compensating gear; but such gears I do not show, the arrangement in question is well known and understoodto be present in' avehicle of this type. I do not limit myself however to the application of my invention to vehicles having a under pressure; in-the combination with such an engine, so connected to the wheels of a vehicle, of a separatelychainless drive, as the invention applicable toany -vehicle driven by an internal combustion motor, withdriven compressor provided with means for supplying I out regard to the particular type of drive employed,

revolution of .the crankshaft; but the type of internal combustion engine, and number of cylinders, are both ummportant, all that is'required being that the engine shall have enough cylinders to be capableof self-startpressor 1 l', driven by an auxiliary internal combustion engine 12, and with storage tanks 13, a throttle valve- 14operated by's. foot-pedal l and-controlling the fiow of air under pressure from said tanks to the engine 6,

2g and an automatic pressure-actuated valve 16 controlling the operationofthe air-compressor.

-I tefen'ing now to Figs. 3, 11 and 5, 17 designates the cylinders of the main'or'driving engine, 18 a piston of one of said cylinders, 19 an exhaust port of one of the cylinders, 20 the fuel admission port of. such cylinder,

th etefor, a 24 tending to prises a casing containing a puppet-valve 23'and a seat hold said valve seated,

and a balancingpiston 25 figured to the: stem of 'said valve and working withm a correspohnling'- cylinder comprised-in the valve-casing.

.This balancing piston v prevents'theair-pressure from opening the valve, having slightly greater area than the valve; the 24 serv ng merely to hold the valve seated when as any reason the pressure is low. .The end or the valve stem the sprocket-wheel 29 through a key 30 (Fig; 3); carried by ashaft 31.secured to the sprocket-wheel and fitting wltluna hollow end of -sliaft'27, said key .working in-- slots 32 of shaft 27, whereb longitudinal motion of the sprocket-wheel, is

for each airwalve, cams 33 being for motion ahead; 'and tioned, a rod 35 connecting said cams 34 for motion backward; and by moving thecamlever with a rocker anh' as (Fig. 3' a rock-shaft are which saidarm' isconnected, and another rocker-armi 38 pivotedto' a ring 39 T e cams are so designed'and'set that in whatever'posi tion the engine may stop, when the cam-shaft ism'ovcd "to start in thc' desired-direction, the proper. one of the .four-air-valves 21 for starting in the desired direction will be opened, and as the cam-shaft rotatcs,'the remaining air-valves be opened in .proper sequence to continue rotation'in the desired direction. The sloping sides of .the cams and-rounded ends of the valvestems permitthe' valves to be opened by lateral movement of the cams,-' when the engine is stationary.

Referring now to Figs. 6-10, showing the compress r, the particular type of compressor, illustra ted fcompriscs three compression cylinders, 4:1, arranged about a conimoncrank-shait 42 driven by a belt-wheel 43 and mf htartingjts auxiliary engine 12, 'I provide the compression cylinders with admission valves 45, operated by-silitable valve-gear comprising a cam- 46 operated by' a.'centriiugal governor-weight 47 on' the .beltrwheel' compressor.- '1

as few parts as possible. It'has no valves, for admitting air to be compressed by thecompressor. As the piston 'moves toward the crankshaft, it draws a. vacu um in the space behind it, until saidpiston uncovers ports are uncovered, the air rushes in. On the return by the piston. When discharge pressureis reached, the spring-loaded discharge valveat the end of the.

.is discharged into the pipe 49 leading to the stor ag'e pipe"49 is a double valve, haying-twofconnected plugs 50 and '51, of different diameters, each plug of course its'corresponding seat, and having a diaphragm 52. enpos'edtorecei'ver pressure andan adjustable spring exposedi-ofi: one side to 'xeservoiri pressure and onfthe on the two valves tend to balance eachother; but do not do so oompletel owing to -th e different sizes of the valvesi}; When the valves-are closed, the pressure upor'rthem. aesisfs'the diapliragin fi jresi'st the spring 53; but when said valves are open, they are surrounded on'all'isides by the same? pressure 'andhave n6 closing actiom' lt follows, therefore; that when said valves open automatically.- ,This provision ismadein order that the valvenot becomstantly opening and. closing. the inlet to saidvalvejmmthe compressor aml 55 i the gtoiltlet leading from said valve to the reservoir.

Valve 16, besides controlling admission to the row-r- 'voir,=.is provided with means for stopping,- as it (hm-s.)

theifuxiliary engine 12. For this purpose, the vulnp "plugs carry a spring contact piece 56 which, 'wlu-n said purpose, by means of. the hsnd-lever 8, already'menvalves are open, is in conta t with a plug 57 insulated from the valve casing. As shown in lflg. 6, this \ulvibelt .44.fm m the auxiIiaryeng'inelZ. I Inasmuch as I- v cause this compressor, at times, to act as an air-motor;

43;;t-Yalves 45 also serve as .discha'rge valves of the I 9o Thecomp'ressor shown is of "very simple type, having ports 48 in the side of the cylinder. As soon as such stmlce, compression begins when.ports 48 are closed have closed, there mu'stbe a considerable drop in pres- 1 sure in the receiver-or reservoir before said valves wil1 120 running in a grooved collar40s'ecured t0 theCamshaftZ-f cylinder opens automatically and the compressed air tanks l3. The aluwmatic controlling valve 16in thjis 1 53 tending toiraiaieQthe-valves fromltheir seats against 5 receiverpre'ssure' Yalve plugs'50;and 51 being both zotherisidei to withinthe pipe 19,'thepressures f plug 57 and the casingotthe valve, andfllerefore the spring 56, are included within the ignition circuit of the auxiliary engine. l l

The valve 16 opens when the pressure in the reser-i roir has fallen so low that the pressure :from said reservoir on the diaphragm plus the effective pressure from said reservoir on the valve plugs alnd 51-, is not sulfirient to overcome the upward thriist exerted by the s ring 53. When the valve opensf'conta ct will be closed between contact points 56 and 57, .thus completing the'ignitiou circuit ofthe auxiliary engine, as shown l1oreafter', -and permitting compressed air to pass-from the reservoir 13 through the valve 1dand pipe 49'to the compressor,for the purpose of running said 'com'- .pressor temporarily as a compressed air motor to start the auxiliary engineIlZ In order, that said compressor may serve temporarily as a motor, iis cylinders are provided'with camshBarranged when rocked to open-valves 45., The stems of these cams project 7 through suitable glands with ground joints and are pro- -vided with arms 59 to which are connected valve rods 60' suitably guided and spring-actuated toward the center. j'lhese' valve rods arein position to be engaged by the cani 46 oscillated .by the governor-weight 47. Whenthis compressor :is stationary, the .governor weight up; position shown in run linesin Fig. 6, the cam 46 being'in position toengage said valve mds60.- Therefore, as soon as valve 16 opens and admits c ompressed air to pipe 49, one of the valves45, being held open by cam 46, will cause the com'premqr to start as a compressed air motor, turning over the engine 12,.aiid

' causing the latter-to start, 4 The ignition circuit'ofithe engine 12 beingclosed, said engine will pickjupi almost immediately,- and as soonasthe compressor:

has reached a speed of say 200.1r'ev0lutions, the gov-'- crnor-weight will have changedits position; under the influence of centrifugal force, and against the tensionhi its'spring' 61, to the position indicated in dotted lines, Fig] 6, the cam 46 being rocked so that-itno I I longer engages the valve stems 60'; The compressorwill then cease to operate as an air engine andwill operateas a compressor, compressing air through pipe 49 into the reservoir 13. As soon as the pressure in such reservoir, which new acts on the diaphragm only,

becomes suflic ientto overcome the pressure ofspring 53, the valve 16 will close, breaking the ignition circuit-of engine 12, and stopping said engine automaticully.'

Engine 12'is shownasprovided with a jump spark ignition apparatus, the interrupter 62 pi which is indirated diagrammatically in Fig. 6. Theprimary circuit is from the positive pole of battery 63 through induction roll 64 and the said interrupter to ground, as indicated I by the frame of engine 12, and also by the pipe to which valve 16 is connected, and from the terminal of contact 57 of said valve hack to battery. This primary ('ircnitwill he broken when valve 16 is' closed, and. will be closed, except when brokcnatinterrupter 62,

wheni-alve 16 is open. The secondary circuit passesas usual irom ground throughconductor 65, and the induction coil 63 to the igniter pluglifi oi the auxiliary engine-'- The operation oithc vehicle will now be described.

1n starting initially with no pressure, or insufficient pressure in the'freservoir 13to start the auxiliary engine 12, the belt-'wheel-of the compressor may be turned over by hand,-this being easy, because both the engine 12. and the compressor maybe quite small. When so turned over, the engine 12 will start quickly, andgathering speed, the compressor will soon act to compress air into the reservoir 13. As soon as the pressure for which valve 16 has beenladj'ustod has been reached, -sa id' valve will-close, stopping the operation of the engine 12 and the compressir. For starting the vehicle, once sufficient pressure has accumulated in the reservoir 13, starting lever 8 is moved from its normal position to the position corresponding to the direction in which the. vehicle is to be started, thus shifting the cam-shaft 27 so as to bring the proper set of cams into operative position, and opening theproper air valve 21 of the engine. Atthe same time, or immediately after, the pedal 15 is pressed, opening the throttle 14 and admitting air from the reservoir to the main engine 6.

ing the vehicle; but almost, immediately the engine 6 picks up as an internal combustion engine, whereupon the throttle 14 may be closed and the starting practice, by properly priming, the carburetor of the main engine and closing the ignition circuit thereof fpick up'" so quickly as an internal combustion engine, that s. mere ,kick lipon the throttle, after the adjustjthe vehicle; but if it is desired to' start gradually, the

fallen to 200. pounds to the square inch, and 'may cause the said .valve to stop. the compressor at any higher pressure .between say 250 and 500pounds per square inch. The higher the pressure normally maintained in the reservoir, the greater the reserve power available for overcoming exceptional obstacles. Thus it is easy .to maintain in the reservoir a pressure which when admitted to the engine cylinders, running under compressed air alone, or under compressed air and internal combustion simultaneously, will give a mean effective pressure in the engine cylinders, twice or more than "twice that which would be obtained when running under internal combustion alone. The reserve power for starting nnderheavy load and on steep grades and for overcoming exceptional obstacles, is, therefore, very great, It is easy to provide sufficient storage capacity so that the vehicle may be runa considerable distance on compressed air alone. Customarily, when the engine is reversed, the vehicle is run-backward underair pressure only; but it is of course easy to cause the ehginc to run backward under power derived from this being to adjust the ignition lead properly.

It will be noted that the admission of air under pressure in the cylinders of engine 6, for the purpose of runningsaid engine as an air motor, does not interfere in any way with the simultaneous operation of that Said engine then begins to rotate as an air motor, movbefore opening the throttle 1%, engine 6 will usually ment of the starting lever, is all that is required to start I customarily design and adjust the valve 16 to start 'the compressor when the pressure in the reservoir has engine as an internal combustionengine. This have lever 8 moved. back into intermediate position. In

t peration of the engine as an internal combustion engine-may behelayed by.keeping closed-the throttle internal combustion aswell, all that is necessary to do 130 combustion and com ressed-tluid n ulti-cylinder enginesin' "prising automatic starting means tl leretoi'r the combinatlomwitlr running Starting oomp flled-fluld motor, the cyllnders and assodemonstrated in actual practice. .It is practicable for each of the engine cylinders to ct simultaneously as the cylinder of an internal combustion engine and as the cylinder of a compressed air motor, because the airva-lves do not open until at or about the beginning of the down stroke ofJthe piston, while the explosive strokeof the piston. I e t It is obvious thatmly invention is susceptible-of of valve gear may be. employed; that internal combustion engines other than'thoseof the two-cycle-type may be employed; that v mus-forms of air compresshrs and that various means for driving thesame and controlling the operationthcreof may be employed. Therefore'I do not limit myself to any of the details of constructionand arr ngement herein illustrated and described, a I

Since both the main engine 6 and the auxiliary engine 12'are of the same type, they may, and customa-' rily will, take their fuel from the same source of supply-ani'mportantadvantage.

By suitably regulating the tension of the 'governor spring 61 of the compressor, said compressor may be caused to cease to operate as an air'motorat whatever speed may be selected, 1 I

What I claim is:

1,: In an automobile, the 'cdmbinatlo'n with riinning gear comprising a driving wheel, of a combined-internal 2. In an automobile, gear comprising a drivln'wheelrot a combined internal and valve gear arranged to produce at least three impulses per revolution when operated as a'compressed-fluid engine,

with valves and valve gear for admiting fluid under pres sureto said-"cylinders to operate-the engine as a self- .engin e.

-'at another predetermined presence of two witnesses.

ciated parts and valve gear arranged to' produce at least -three impulses per revolutlon 'when operated as u compressed-fluid engine, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said engine comprising a reservoir, a combined internal-combustion and compressed-fluid self-startmany variations and modifications; that various forms I and comprising meansfor stopping said auxlllaryenglne and for admitting air from said tank to said compressor to start same as a motor and through it said'auxillary 5. In a system of automobile propulsion, the combinaand-for starting sald compressor'as an air 'motor for the auxiliary engine and co mpleting said ignition circuit at another predetermined pressure.-

6. In -'a system of-autoniobiie'propulsion, the combinaltlon with running 'gear comprising a driving wheel, a combined internal-combustion andcompressed-fluid self-startlihg engin' for driving said wheel, and means for connect- .7. In a system of automobile propulsion, the combina- 7 tion with running-gear comprising a driving wheel, :1 combined-internal-combustion and compressed-fluid self-stare ing engine for driving said wheel. and means for connect:-

In testimony whereof I aflis my signature, in the E. W. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

MINERVA P. Burma-r, ,H. M. Manama. 

